Core Insights - BP p.l.c. and Corteva, Inc. have established a 50-50 joint venture named Etlas to cultivate crops for extracting oils to be refined into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (RD) [1][7] - Following the announcement of the joint venture, BP's share price increased by 4.25%, rising from $34.36 to $35.82 per barrel [1] Company and Industry Summary - The joint venture combines Corteva's seed technology and agricultural innovation with BP's refining and fuel marketing capabilities, aiming to scale the production of vegetable oils from crops such as canola, mustard, and sunflower to meet the growing global demand for SAF and RD [2] - The strategy involves utilizing existing farmland between food crop cycles to cultivate crops for low-carbon fuel production, thereby improving soil health and providing additional income opportunities for farmers without requiring more land [3] - The Etlas joint venture is expected to commence supply in 2027, targeting an annual production of 1 million metric tons of feedstock by the mid-2030s, which is projected to generate over 800,000 tons of biofuel [4][7] - This initiative aligns BP and Corteva's business models with the global transition towards cleaner fuels while also creating potential future cash flow [4]

Group 1: Investment Strategy - The combination of high free cash flow yield and dividends is a powerful investment strategy that has been proven over 30 years of data across multiple market cycles [2][26][27] - From 1990 to 2016, stocks in the top quintile for both dividend yield and free cash flow yield generated an annual excess return of 6.03% compared to the market [3][16] - High dividend yield stocks without free cash flow produced only a 0.10% excess return, while high free cash flow yield stocks without dividends achieved 3.57% [4][16] Group 2: Importance of Free Cash Flow - Free cash flow is a more reliable indicator than earnings, as it reflects actual cash available for dividends [8][10] - Companies that generate strong free cash flow but do not pay dividends often waste cash on unproductive projects, which can destroy shareholder value [9][10] - High free cash flow dividend payers have shown superior characteristics, including lower leverage and higher returns on equity [10][11] Group 3: Payout Ratios and Dividend Growth - The optimal payout ratio for dividends is around 40 to 50% of free cash flow, allowing for sustainable dividend growth [12][13] - Companies with a 40 to 50% payout ratio can maintain dividends during economic downturns, while those with higher ratios are at risk of cuts [15][21] - The Pacer Cash Cows Index, focusing on high free cash flow yield companies, has delivered annual dividend growth of 9.2% while maintaining a sustainable payout ratio [13][18] Group 4: Performance During Market Cycles - High free cash flow dividend payers recover faster from market downturns, averaging 15 months compared to 28 months for non-payers [11][22] - The S&P study from 1990 to 2017 found that the top quintile combining dividend yield and free cash flow yield outperformed 75% of the time [16] - During bear markets, this strategy provided meaningful downside protection, outperforming 50% of the time [16] Group 5: Company Examples - Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) has a dividend yield of 3.4% and a payout ratio of 24%, demonstrating stability and strong free cash flow generation [28][31] - HNI Corp. has a dividend yield of approximately 3.3% with a payout ratio of 43 to 45%, showing resilience despite market uncertainties [33][37] - OneSpan operates in digital security with a dividend yield of 4.03% and a low payout ratio under 8%, indicating strong cash flow and growth potential [39][41] - Luxfer Holdings has a dividend yield of approximately 4.3% and a payout ratio of 43%, focusing on high-performance materials with steady demand [45][48]